Fluoride Action Update

We are excited to report two more fluoride victories in the United States. Last week, city councils in Mount Clemons, Michigan and Naples Village, New York voted to end the fluoridation of their drinking water.

Mt. Clemons' drinking water, which serves almost 17,000 residents, has been fluoridated since March 1951. On May 16th, the city council voted to end the practice (watch video of vote). Before voting against fluoridation, one commissioner summed up the feelings of the Town Council:

"... In looking into this... we realize that people have access to fluoride through toothpaste, mouthwash, and their dentist... the other issue is a cost issue... we will save over $40,000. I think everybody wins..."

On May 18th, the Trustees of the Village of Naples, NY (pop. 1,070) voted to end fluoridation. We have been told by residents of Naples Village that this vote was the result of two dedicated local residents doing their research and making a five minute long power point presentation before the Trustees at a regular monthly meeting held in April.

Both victories show what can be accomplished by a handful of local citizens who take the time to educate their local decision-makers about the dangers of fluoride.

On the Verge of Victory

Momentum is building in the battle against fluoridation as more communities in North America debate whether or not to continue the practice. Two communities--Moncton, New Brunswick and Fairbanks, Alaska--are on the verge of prohibiting fluoridation, and are only a couple weeks away from city councils votes on the issue.

On June 6th, the Fairbanks City Council will hold a public hearing and vote on a fluoridation ordinance that will end the practice in the city. The ordinance is being supported by local citizens Fluoride Free Fairbanks, and was introduced after the city's Fluoride Task Force recommended that fluoridation be ended in their official report published this spring.

On May 18th, the City of Austin Texas Council called a special meeting of the Committee for Health and Human Services to hear information and presentations on water fluoridation from both sides of the issue. Representatives ofFluoride Free Austin , local dentist Dr. Griffin Cole, and Dr. Paul Connett, of the Fluoride Action Network, were in attendance and made presentations in opposition to fluoridation. Click here to watch the public hearing!

Some of the other Canadian communities that are currently debating fluoridation include:

The CBS affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia did a great news story on "The Dangers of Fluoride" this past week. We urge you to watch this two-part report and forward it to friends, family, and local decision-makers.

· Deadline: May 31. US EPA's Pesticides Division is requesting comments on its Registration Review for Cryolite, one of two food pesticides registered in the U.S. that leave a fluoride residue on foods (the other is sulfuryl fluoride). The EPA allows a fluoride residue of 7 ppm from the use of cryolite on the following food commodities, but is considering raising the fluoride residue levels for the commodities in bold below: